Family travel: Awesome city parks and playgrounds in Europe

This article may contain compensated links. See our full disclosure here

As anyone who has travelled with children knows, finding a great playground for your kids to let off steam is perhaps the most important thing you can do to make sure the trip is a success. It can be the difference between a ruined holiday or a trip full of wonderful shared memories.

Constantly on the look out for creative and exciting parks in the cities we visit, I asked some of my favourite family travel bloggers to nominate their best parks and playgrounds in Europe.

What could be better than a park with a puppet theatre and toy boats to play with on the pond? The beautiful Luxembourg Gardens on the Left Bank of the Seine are a Parisian institution and the perfect place for children to let off steam. The grand gardens were designed in the 17th century and have statue-lined promenades, fountains and an orchard but the biggest draw for families are its wonderful activities for children.

The gardens are home to the oldest puppet theatre in France, with shows three times a week and every day during the school holidays. There’s a vintage merry-go-round and pony rides and you can hire model boats to sail on the pond. Younger children love the sand pits and playground and parents love the quintessentially Parisian atmosphere, free musical performances and café.

Lyon: Parc de la Tête D’Or

France’s second city is home to one of the most wonderful parks we have visited with our children. Stretching 117 hectares, the park is found in the centre of Lyon close to the river Rhône. Kids can run for miles exploring the park and its many sections including several playgrounds, botanic gardens, boating lake and a small fun fair.

The highlight of any visit to the Parc de la Tête d’Or is the small free zoo where most of the animals roam freely in large enclosures. We loved the deer, giraffes and prickly porcupines but were most impressed by the sheer number of turtles. The zoo runs a conservation program for turtles that were impacted by the oil disaster in Florida and is home to thousands of the water creatures.

London: Diana Memorial Playground

The Diana Memorial Playground is one of our favorite playgrounds that we’ve ever visited. It has elements of Peter Pan to it with its pirate ship and teepees and also has a fun musical area. It was a great place for both our girls to play (ages 3 and 1) and had plenty of activities for older children as well. It’s also gated and only allows a certain number of children to come in at a time. This creates a bit of a queue, but for us at least, it was not a long wait. I definitely recommend a visit when in London.

London: Greenwich Park

Unsurprisingly for a playground in London’s oldest Royal Park, Greenwich Park is top-notch. It’s set at the northern end of the park, near the National Maritime Museum, the Cutty Sark and down the hill from the Royal Observatory, where you can see the Meridian Line that divides the north and south hemispheres.

The playground’s a great pitstop on a day out, but it’s worthy of a visit in its own right. To enter, you walk past a small boating lake, where you can hire pedaloes in summer. After passing through the heavy wrought-iron gates (perfect for foiling would-be mini escapees), the playground opens out into a few hundred metres of climbing frames, wobble boards, a café, slides, wooden huts, a large sandpit, swings and rope bridges. Excited shrieks are mopped up by the noise-dampening shrubs and small trees that were planted as part of an extensive refurbishment in 2015. This playground is one of our favourite places to while away a long summer afternoon in London.

London: Coram’s Fields

London is filled with amazing playgrounds but my favourite is Coram’s Fields. Tucked away close to King’s Cross, the park has a playground, lots of grass to play on and best of all, a city farm! My 7yo loves the zipline and my 5yo makes a beeline for the rabbits. The Café has a decent selection of healthy food and more importantly, good coffee for parents. Combine with a trip to the British Museum which is a 10 minute walk away!

The park is open from 9am till dusk and free of charge (note no adult can enter Coram’s Fields without a child)

London: Tumbling Bay Playground, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Remember the 2012 Olympics? Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, home of the main sporting venues, has been redeveloped over the last few years and is now a destination in its own right.
Members of the public can swim in the Aquatics Centre, cycle at the VeloPark and slide down the ArcelorMittal Orbit slide.

For children, the highlight is the amazing Tumbling Bay Playground. Older kids will enjoy the wooden tree houses, rope nets, wobbly bridges and plenty of climbing opportunities. Younger children delight in the sand pits, water pumps and channels which are perfect for damming. Parents will appreciate the facilities and coffee at the nearby Timber Lodge cafe. Elsewhere in the park there are water fountains to play in, a climbing wall, gardens and boat trips (summer only). Pick a sunny day, maybe pack a picnic and spend an entire day exploring the site.

The park is free to visit and is always open. It takes about 5-10 minutes to walk to the park entrance from the nearest underground at Stratford Station.

Wollaton Park was once a playground for the Willoughby family in the 16th century and their grand Elizabethan Hall (The location for Wayne Manor in the Batman film – Dark Knight) sits proudly on top of the hill, overlooking its 500 acres. Deer roam freely amongst the broad oaks and can be regularly spotted cooling off in the lake throughout the summer.

The park supports many festivals in the warmer months, ranging from food to music to classic cars. And, if the weather is forcing you indoors, the Hall is open to the public and shows off its large collection of Natural History and souvenirs from the Willoughby’s travel expeditions. Plus, the cafe in the old stable block does great coffee and cake!

The adventure playground is a hit with all ages or you could pack yourselves a picnic to enjoy in the manicured gardens behind the Hall. Have Fun!

Come to Copenhagen she said. And when here with littles in tow – take a break in the city’s central park – Fælledparken. Lots and lots of nice square meters full of wide open green spaces to relax with a picnic and bottle of wine while the littles run amuck. It’s allowed here. The littles. And the wine.

And when here – there are several adorable places to toodle with your toddlers. Fælledparken offers a corner for every age. Enjoy the Copenhagen architectural icons in miniature with slides and swings at Tårnlegepladsen (Tower playground.) Or take a turn on the trampolines, try the giant swings or obstacle course along Serridslevvej.

But possibly the most Danish of bits in Fælledparken is Trafiklegepladsen – the Traffic park. Wee peeps between ages 3-6 can borrow tricycles and learn how to manoeuvre the streets safely like their big people.

Short of going back to the hotel, finding a place to relax with kids while travelling in a new city can be challenging. Enter the playground, the perfect place for the kids to cut loose and blow off steam while the adults regroup and relax. Most recently we visited the playground in Dublin’s Merrion Square Park. This lovely public playground is based on Oscar Wilde’s story, The Selfish Giant, and the unique giant themed play structures appealed to both my boys ages 8 and 14.

Beyond the play structures the park offers, wide paths, a large grassy area, and numerous statues to explore, including a jesters chair, and a statue of Oscar Wilde who famously resided at No.1 Merrion Square. On select days from May to October you can grab a bite to eat from the lunchtime market. Opening at 11:30 am they have offerings from a variety of different local vendors as well as live music.

Netherlands

Amsterdam: Vondelpark

Amsterdam was in the middle of a heatwave when we visited, but even if we hadn’t been seeking a cool shady escape from the 30C+ temperatures, I’d recommend the Vondelpark. And despite getting 10 million visitors a year, it never seems to feel busy – perhaps because there’s so much to discover between the lakes, gardens and cafes.

The 120 acres has seven different play areas, including a playground by Groot Melkhuis café which is probably the best known, with seesaw, merry-go-round and other traditional play equipment. But it’s the wooden playground towards the centre of the park that’s the real standout, with a treetop walkway that practically vanishes into the leaves, rope bridges, climbing platforms, forts, tunnels and whole sections up on stilts, all safely enclosed in netting – like a secret world hidden in the trees, tucked away right in the heart of the park.

The park and playgrounds are all free to enter, and there’s play equipment for toddlers to teens.

Italy

Rome: Villa Borghese

A playground my kids love in Rome is the play area in Villa Borghese, one of the city’s biggest parks. Located in Rome city centre, Villa Borghese is a great stop if you want to take a break from sightseeing and has many attractions for kids: nice play areas with swings and climbing frames (there are several, in different parts of the park), a pond with rowing boats you can rent, a small indoor play area with simple toys and games and of course Rome zoo!

The play areas are all free (there are fees for the boats and the zoo) and always a hit especially with younger kids: in the summer, they are also a good refuge from the heat as the one beside the pond, in particular, is in the shade and has a small kiosk selling drinks and snacks. More info about what to do in Rome with kids can be found here.

Sweden

Uppsala near Stockholm: Pelle Svanslös Lekplats

Sweden is a very family-friendly country so it will come as little surprise to hear that its playgrounds are plentiful and usually a little out of the ordinary. The one which really impressed us during our summer road trip was Pelle Svanslös Lekplats in Uppsala, north of Stockholm. This isn’t just a playground, it’s a fantasyland of colourful little houses, towers, slides and roundabouts. Oh, and swings too. The quirky buildings were a wonder to look at and my four-year-old daughter could have explored for hours while I was able to rest my legs on one of the many seats.

It transpires the playground is based on a series of children’s books written by Gösta Knutsson about a cat called Pelle Svanslös, The late author lived in Uppsala and It seems there are references to the stories throughout the playground with the cat characters making appearances on the equipment. My daughter enjoyed the roundabout which had seats and pedals which you powered yourself as well as the tall tower with a cylindrical slide. Located in Carolina Park, Pelle Svanslös Lekplats is clearly a favourite with the local children and we felt privileged, as outsiders, to have the opportunity to use it.

Spain

Córdoba: Pirate Ship Playground, Milaflores

There are so many wonderful outdoor playgrounds in the Spanish city of Córdoba, there literally seems to be a new park around every corner. Córdoba even has a whole area called Children’s city, with over 30 different types of equipment, including a skate park, set over 4 hectares (Avda. Menéndez Pidal).

Our favourite playground was the pirate ship playground, just next to the Torre de la Calahorra-Calahorra Tower on the south side of the Roman bridge. The playground has a few different sections making it suitable for all ages. The Pirate ship itself is wonderful and has rigging, ropes and climbing sections that are a hit with older children.

Our toddlers preferred the sand pit; complete with sit-on diggers and moving conveyor belts, where they spent all afternoon scooping, loading up and transporting the sand from one end of the playground to the other. The park is a five-minute walk from the UNESCO world heritage site of the historic quarter. More on Córdoba’s highlights here.

Malaga: Malaga Park & Port Playground

Malaga Park, or the Parque de Malaga, also known as the Parque de la Alameda, runs in front of the new port area, the Muello Uno and contains a fantastic park and small playground. The playground is located in a tranquil and shady space, but the park itself is the main attraction. A great space to let your children run around and explore the botanical gardens, complete with tropical plants, parakeets, fountains, monuments and sculptures. A welcome relief, especially if you have spent your day inside visiting some of the city’s world-class museums.

A short hop over to the new port and you will also find a small playground right on the promenade. With the standard spinners and boingers it is aimed at younger children, but older children will enjoy jumping from the concrete ‘wave’ structures. It is also the best place to sit back, people watch and gawp in amazement at the extraordinarily huge cruise liners docked nearby. A must if your children are boat obsessed like ours! Read more about Malaga here.

Germany

Berlin: Volkspark Friedrichschain

If you find yourself in Berlin on a sunny day you could easily spend most of it Berlin’s Volkspark Friedrichshain. This huge park to the north-east of Alexanderplatz in the former East Berlin has attractions for kids of all ages. We counted at least three playgrounds featuring water play, sand pits, climbing equipment, swings and slides.

There are several fountains dotted around the park but our favourite was the Märchenbrunnen or fountain of fairy tales. This ornate Baroque-style fountain is decorated with characters from favourite fairy tales including Puss in Boots and Cinderella. Hundreds of little turtles live inside the fountain and they are fun to watch swim about.

Bring a picnic and relax on the grass with the hundreds of Berliners who enjoy but don’t crowd this beautiful space. We were not that organised so enjoyed some traditional German sausages in the expansive beer garden near the lake. There are plenty more food and beverage stands around the park.

Playgrounds can be such a lifesaver on city breaks – I never thought I’d find myself researching those, but sometimes an hour running around and playing is all my daughter needs and wants between exploring. Lots of inspiration here! I haven’t even visited all the London ones…

You’ve compiled a fantastic resource for parents on European trips, Katy. Playgrounds and parks make such a great activity for kids in-between visits to museums and sights on a city break. We always make a point of visiting at least a couple on any trip and you’ve included some of our favourites. We’ll look forward to discovering the ones we haven’t been to yet. Thanks so much for including me in this great post.

What a fun and unique idea for an article. I hope to explore some of these with my boys on our next adventure. Not only that I’m honored to be included as a contributor with this group of fabulous travel writers. Thank you!

I vaguely remember a trip to Volkspark Friedrichshain when my eldest was a toddler. I’m trying to put it out of my mind as she threw up everywhere – and it was the one day that we’d come out without a change of clothes, baby wipes etc! A memorable trip to Berlin for the wrong reasons 🙂 That said, a fantastic list of playgrounds and thank you for including my contribution.

Decent parks have been an essential for our city breaks, but it’s not always easy to know which ones to plump for. There’s no point travelling all the way across town for a dud! So this is a really useful post. Thanks for including us!

Lots of great places here – I think I’ve only been to the Diana Memorial park.
One of my favourites is Frogner park in Oslo. It includes the fascinating Vigeland sculpture park which has the most extraordinary yet very ‘human’ pieces of art. If you search for ‘Angry Boy – Oslo’ you’ll find a very amusing little chap. 😉
#farawayfiles

You know I love this one! Makes me wish my littles were a little littler! We did love the Diana Playground when we were in London – such an amazing place. Thanks for including my Copenhagen bit – cheers from Denmark, Erin #FarawayFiles

I was wondering what had happened to London’s Olympic venues (from the vantage point of not having been to the UK for a few years … Tumbling Bay Playground look amazing! and the Danish parks sound wonderful. They all do actually :). Beautiful photography too.

I Love this Katy! I don’t travel with kids, but I LOVE parks! ha. They are perfect when you have been walking all day and just want to chill. Such a nice idea to share the best places for kids to let of steam for all the travelling families out there 🙂

Fantastic! Wherever you are its great to find a park for some greenery and to let the kids run off some scheme – essential on a city break. Love this list we haven’t been to many of them so lots for the future. Have sent to all my friends! #citytripping

Well, not only kids need to vent a bit. Adults need to relax and sit down too. I have been able to visit parks in Vienna, Madrid, Barcelona and Budapest. I have been able to recover energies and observe locals enjoying their city. Love the places you have highlighted in here! #FarawayFiles

My daughter is all grown up now but I remember a wonderful afternoon of her playing with a load of French kids in the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris. Great list – somewhere to remember when I have grandkids! #farawayfiles

Thank you for including me in such a fun post! Considering summer plans, now, so will be fun to share with my boys, and see which ones they’re most interested to visit! Could help me narrow down our next destination! #farawayfiles

Such a brilliant and inspiring list, I’m tempted to make a special trip to Sweden just to visit the park there! Also good to know Villa Borghese is so child friendly, I might abandon my other half and the kids there so I can explore the gallery when we visit later this year.

Playgrounds and parks are great for big kids too, like me! I love parks and wish that there are more parks in Malaysia for our weather is hot and humid, thus having more trees and greenery would help to cool down the hot temperature a little. Unfortunately, our local authorities and government favour development over conservation, hence more trees are felled in the name of progress  From your list here, I would love to explore the parks of Nottingham and Malaga  #farawayfiles

Love your comment Kat. I think development goes in phases and hopefully the government in Malaysia will realise that concrete boxes need to be balanced out with greenery. I love the new “Gardens by the Bay” in Singapore as an example. Though it is a shame you have to pay to enter

I don’t have any kids, but man this makes me wish I could be just a bit smaller so I could pretend to be a child and play on all of these awesome playgrounds! The Stockholm playground looks AMAZING. When I was a kid I remember going to “It’s a Bug’s Life” in Disney World and will never forget how fun it was to run through a whole new landscape. I must say, growing up in Europe is really a kid’s dream come true.

That is one distinct advantage of being a parent.. you can play in these incredible spaces without looking like a weirdo! Well ok maybe you do a bit but at least there is an excuse. Playgrounds have come a long way since when I was a kid

I’m so happy to see Lyon on the list!! I love Parc de la Tête d’Or — there were two baby giraffes born while I lived in Lyon. They were pretty cute. I also really enjoyed Villa Borghese this summer (it’s so big! My feet were aching by the end) and I used to live by the Jardin du Luxembourg – lovely in all seasons! I love visiting beautiful parks like these wherever I travel as long as the weather’s cooperative, so thanks for the list! #FarawayFiles

Yes!!!! What a great guide for fun with kids around Europe! Letting off some steam is an essential part of every adventure we have with kids, and this list has some great options – it seems you are very spoilt for choice in London too! Brilliant collab post, Katy! #FarawayFiles

There was a time when we’d have to suss out the local park to keep one or other of our kids happy while sightseeing and we’ve been to some great ones and some dire….I remember one in Bosnia, with a bombed out building next door and shelling marks all over the walls, it was very sobering. Nowadays our 11 yo will still happily play for a while if we pass by a park but it’s not so vital to the success of the trip, however if I had younger kids I know I’d have this list with me when travelling. I would like to suggest the Promenade du Paillon in Nice as one of the best play areas I know, since its construction about 3 years ago it’s radically changed the centre of Nice for the better (for both kids and adults alike).

This is a great post. I’m a new parent and have only begun to notice the lack of decent playgrounds (or my lack of knowledge) in some of my recent European destinations.
I currently live in Budapest where there are many wonderful playgrounds scattered across the city. They do large sandboxes very well here, and different play structures for different ages. Even if you don’t speak Hungarian, most people are very friendly toward children and usually willing to share their toys and snacks, etc.
A few standouts are Budavari Matyas Kiraly Playground (castle themed with bridges and tunnels for older ones and sandboxes and swings for younger ones); Zold Peter Park (fairytale themed with unique playhouses and climbers, one of the oldest in Budapest); Honved Ter (large and very shady for hot afternoons with a little something for kids of all ages); Olympic park (climbing structures and swings for all ages, large picnic lawn with sun and shade, small water spouts for hot days); Rumini Jatszoter (very exciting pirate theme); Gellert hill slide park (the name says it all…a must visit while hiking up to the citadel); Hunyadi ter (small and basic playground, but its inside a lovely bench-filled park nearby a traditional market hall with outdoor produce and flower vendors, also has a small cafe and gazebo for a quick refreshment on your way to or from Heroes square).

Hi Beth, thank you so much for dropping by and this brilliant information! We hope to visit Budapest in the next 12 months so this is really very useful. I’d particularly like to check out the Zold Peter Park – it sounds wonderful. Investing in parks is such an important part of maintaining a sense of community. Sadly a lot of it has been outsourced in London but the community groups who manage them do the best they can. Thanks again for dropping by